IN WHICH in a world where your life could end any second, Asta knew to not get attached to anything or anyone. He was content with fighting until he died. To do everything he could to help destroy them all and he promised he would. He was going to k...
Book: Whatever It Takes, Attack On Titan Chapter 20: Erwin Smith Word Count: 1369
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Asta stood with his eyes glaring forward at the disgusting Titan that was getting closer to them by climbing the tree. How he wished he could just jump down and kill the thing but they has been ordered to stay in the trees. It made his blood boil.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and tensed up, turning his head to see Jean looking at him. He looked from his face to his hand but Jean kept it there.
"Whaddya say we get outta the way?" Jean suggested.
Asta looked at Armin who was nodding in agreement. He glared at the Titan before following the two as they moved to another branch higher up the tree.
"Ugly bastard is really gettin' the hang of it. At this rate, he's gonna try his hand at buildin' a damn tree house." Jean spoke.
"The alarming thing is that this shows that they can learn. Not a pleasant thought. Of course, they probably all develop at different rates." Armin said.
"Hey, guys. They want us keeping these Titans outta the forest right? I think I just figured out why. We're here to lure that Female Titan into a trap. C'mon. What else could it be? It's like you said. There's a person inside it steerin' the thing. Commander Erwin wants to find out who." Jean said.
"It must have been the plan from the start." Asta leaned his back against the trunk. "I think it's someone in the regiment. A spy."
Jean agreed with him. "It's the only way all the pieces fit. You with me?"
Armin nodded his head. "Yeah. Best explanation." The Titan got closer. "I'm sure the commander believes it. He'd have to."
"They would be responsible for Sawney and Beane's death." Asta frowned.
Armin sighed. "Do you think the commander was wrong to leave everyone out of the loop?"
"Well, he certainly wasn't in the right." Jean said as they watched the Titan fall from the tree and land on its ass. "Why put so many of our lives at risk just because one of us can't be trusted? Hell, we could've smoked out the spy. Maybe saved some good people."
"No. He did what was necessary." Armin spoke.
"I agree." Asta spoke.
Jean gasped. "Are you seriously trying to defend him? Do you know how many of us died so the commander could play intrigue?"
"Of course we do." Asta growled out. "It's easy to judge when you're not the one making the hard decisions. There was no way to know how things would turn out. He's a commander, not a soothsayer. He had to act on what he had. Period. He had to choose: a handful of us, or all of us? What would you have done?"
Jean could only look at him in silence, too stunned to speak.
Armin continued, "he made a decision. He sacrificed a hundred lives for the good of mankind. I nay be naïve but, there's one thing I know beyond all doubt. Genuine harbingers of change must be able to do what others won't dare. Sacrifice their heart. Accept the burden of doing the unspeakable. Whether we like to admit it or not, the fact is this: to rise above monsters, we have to abandon our humanity. That's the irony, really. If you can't let it go, it's not worth holding on to."
